The Chargers coach addressed Monday for the first time the health of Fox, a close friend and former colleague. Fox will not be on the sideline Sunday when San Diego hosts Denver, expected to miss several weeks after undergoing heart valve transplant surgery Monday in Charlotte.

The two coaches have worked beside each other for nine years.

McCoy was part of Fox's staff in Carolina from 2002 to 2008 before McCoy left for Denver. The two were reunited there when Fox accepted the head coach position in 2011, McCoy serving as his offense coordinator for two seasons.

McCoy considers Fox one of the main reasons he is the Chargers' coach today.

"I think everyone here, the organization, my family included; our thoughts are with John Fox," McCoy said. "It’s a tough situation he’s going through, but I think with the leadership of their football team and having the coaching staff and John Elway and the rest of the organization, with the great leadership group in place, they’re going to respond to it.

"He’s a great coach to play for, to work with, and to be around. We’ll be thinking about him.”

Some of the philosophies McCoy brought to San Diego trace back to his time with Fox, including how the coach schedules practices, organizes team travel, runs meetings and handles media. McCoy has made personal tweaks to the way he does things.

On Monday, the Broncos named defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio their interim coach.